All-Time Matchup Monday: 1973 Big Sandy vs. 2015 Canadian

BigSandyCanadianMainEditor’s Note: Every Monday during the offseason, we’ll bring you our new running series, All-Time Matchup Monday, where we’ll pit two of the greatest teams in Texas high school football history against each other, throw a few theories around on who might come out on top, and then we’ll ask you to settle the debate for us. You can also nominate all-time teams and games. Just tweet @dctf with the hashtag #MatchupMonday with your nominations. Week 1:2000 Midland Lee vs. 1996 Austin Westlake Fan vote results: 2000 Midland Lee Week 2:1970 Austin Reagan vs. 1973 John Tyler Fan vote results: 1973 John Tyler Week 3:2015 Katy vs. 2013 Allen Fan vote results: 2015 Katy Week 4:1983 Daingerfield vs. 1988 Dallas Carter Fan vote results: 1983 Daingerfield Week 5:2008 Lake Travis vs. 2006 Southlake Carroll Fan vote results: 2008 Lake Travis Week 6: 2005 Celina vs. 1997 Sealy Fan vote results: 2005 Celina Week 7: 1978 Houston Stratford vs. 1980 Odessa PermianFan vote results: 1980 Odessa Permian Week 8: 1998 Stephenville vs. 2003 Galena Park North ShoreFan vote results: 1998 Stephenville WEEK 9 MATCHUP: 1973 Big Sandy vs. 2015 CanadianWhy Big Sandy would win The 1970’s signified an end of West Texas dominance in Texas high school football. Teams from the east were starting to emerge and Big Sandy’s dynasty testified to the area’s bourgeoning success at the state level. Big Sandy won its first of three consecutive titles in 1973. The Wildcats went 14-0 to claim the Class B state title, giving up 21 points in the entire season. Big Sandy’s defense, led by Lovie Smith, never allowed more than six points in a single game and posted 10 shutouts. The offensive side of the ball was equally powerful. Big Sandy pounded the opposition like train-rail spikes with a well-fed offensive line and the legs of senior running back Bobby Mitchell. Mitchell rushed for 3,070 yards and 45 touchdowns in his final prep season. He ended his career with 7,260 yards rushing. Big Sandy scored 715 points on the season, a record that wouldn’t be broken for over two decades. The Wildcats allowed three points in four playoff games, 12 points in six district games and six points in four non-district games. Big Sandy beat opponents by an average score of 51 to 1.5. No team in this state’s history can claim that level of superiority. It wasn’t done at the biggest classification at the time, but a lot of people would have picked Big Sandy over Earl Campbell’s Tyler John Tyler team, which won the Class A championship in the same year. Why Canadian would win Each generation produces bigger and better athletes. Only a few decades ago, 300-pound linemen were commodities at the professional level of football. In today’s game, high school teams have 300-pound offensive linemen and defensive tackles. It doesn’t take anything away from the previous generation’s achievements and ability. It’s simply admitting we know more about developing a young person’s body and mind into being an athlete. Canadian would beat the 1973 Big Sandy team for that reason alone. Football players are better now. Football coaches and weight rooms and dietary understanding are better now. Progress is a good thing. Canadian’s championship team of 2015 was the best small-school team in state history. The Wildcats put up a total of 820 points in 16 games, averaging 51.25 points per outing. The defense allowed just over eight points per game. Canadian was crowned the Class 2A Division I state champions for the second year in a row, led by head coach Chris Koetting and quarterback Tanner Schafer. As a state champion in his junior and senior season, Schafer threw for 7,907 yards, 100 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He added nine touchdowns rushing. It wasn’t just Schafer. Running back Chance Cook rushed for 1,326 yards and 19 touchdowns in an all-state season. Wide receiver Cameron Copley was also named first-team all-state with 57 catches for 1,135 yards and 16 touchdowns. Defensive lineman Cory Chidester was named Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. He finished 2015 with 109 tackles, 53 tackles for loss, 14 sacks and six forced fumbles. Linebacker Holton Hufstedler recorded 135 tackles on the year. [poll id="101"] Craven’s Pick: Canadian Give me Canadian in a game between the two most dominant small-classification high school football teams the state of Texas produced. Greg Tepper's Pick: Canadian Adjusted for era, these two dominant teams are about as even-steven as it gets. But football is more consistently excellent now than it was 40 years ago, and that’s why Canadian gets the nod. Max Thompson's Pick: Big Sandy I love Canadian as much as anyone outside of the Panhandle, but give Big Sandy's team of legends long enough to prepare, and I think they'd be up for the challenge. (Also, while we're here, you could make the argument 1975 Big Sandy and David Overstreet were even better, and I don't even think this contest would be a debate if you swapped that group in instead.) Fan vote: Will be announced next Monday.